Consider the following tips to help you clean your homes vinyl siding with ease: 

• First make sure you are wearing clothes you do not mind running.

• Pour bleach into a bucket and have a scrub brush ready to bring with you outside.

• Take your garden hose and rinse your homes vinyl siding off with the water from the hose. You need to make sure that the siding is very wet. 

• Start at the top of the house.  Take a scrub brush and get it really wet with bleach you have in the bucket you brought with you.  Scrub the siding very hard either left to right or up and down.  It really does depend on how the siding is made to how you need to make your scrubbing motions.

• Continue doing this for each and every single siding piece.  Work your way down the house until you are finished with each siding of your home.

• Start at the top of the home rinse the white vinyl siding very well.  You want to make sure that you get all of the bleach off of the siding.

• If your house is not as clean as you would like it to be you can repeat the process several times.

This process is time consuming and it can make you very tired.  However, it is effective and you will be very pleased with the results.  You just need to be willing to try this technique. Use this time to inspect your home siding for any damage so that you can maintain your siding.

• Purchase a chimney brush and a hard scrub brush.  You will need both of these in order to clean your chimney effectively.

• Make sure that you have a flashlight ready to go when you begin the cleaning process.  This will help you determine if there are any obstacles in your chimney like birds nests.

• Put on old clothes when you start cleaning.  This really will be a messy job and there is no way around it.  You do not want to ruin any good clothes.

• Wear a face mask as well as goggles so that you are not breathing in harmful chemicals. This will also help ensure that you are not getting anything in your eyes.

• Wear gloves.  You may be handling metal and it may be very sharp.  You do not want to cut yourself so gloves will really help you.

• Have a ladder ready to go because you will need to get on your roof in order to clean that end of the chimney.

Following these tips will help you clean your chimney with ease.  You will find that this can be a really big chore but when you are prepared it goes much faster.

If you have a fireplace you probably want to be able to use it without any fears and concerns. But, chimney fires are a cause for great concern for individuals that do not know the proper steps to take in order to decrease the likelihood of them occurring. Try following these simple steps to decrease the chance of any chimney fires taking place in your home.

1.)   Only use really dry wood when you get ready for your fire. This is often called seasoned wood and it is very important in preventing fires. Your chimney may become clogged if you are using wood that has a lot of moisture in it. This can increase fires, so the dryer the better. 

2.)   Build small fires each time that you decide to have one. This will also decrease the amount of smoke that the fire produces.

3.)   Only burn wood. When you burn paper and trash you will be increasing sparks that can contribute to chimney fires. Because paper and trash is lighter than wood, it can float up out of the chimney and onto the roof. A paper that is still on fire and lands on the roof will cause the roof to become a blazed.

4.)   Have your chimney cleaned on a regular basis. If you are not able to clean the chimney yourself then you can call a professional to come and do it for you. These individuals are very easily found by looking in your local phone book or on the internet.

You should always practice safe precautions when working with any type of fire. Make sure your family knows the do’s and don’ts of using the fire place, where you keep the fire extinguishers, how to extinguish home fires, and what to do if your home is on fire.

Damaged board paneling reacts well to a variety of techniques for repairing minor scratches and slashes, dents, and even deep gouges. But if the damaged paneling is too severe, you may want to replace one or more of the damaged tongue and groove boards. Be sure to carefully match any new paneling and its finish with neighboring boards. Below are 7 easy steps to follow for replacing a damaged Tongue-and- Grove board within your home.

Step One: Place a pry-bar between the baseboard and wall. Once there is a gap between the board and the wall, place wood wedges in the gap. Pry off the baseboard and remove the remaining nail with a hammer.

Step Two: With a circular saw, saw down the center of the damaged Tongue-and-Groove board. Once the board is sawed in two, split the ends using a chisel.

Step Three: Use a broad-blade pry-bar to wedge off the sections of the board from the wall one side at a time.

Step Four: Next cut the replacement board to length with the damaged Tongue-and-Groove board by placing the damaged board over the replacement and mark the correct length with a pencil.

Step Five: Using a mallet to hold the new board, use blocks of wood to protect the surface of the new Tongue-and-Groove board, and cut off the back of the boards groove with a wood chisel.

Step Six: Starting at the ceiling, fit the replacement board with the damaged old board’s adjacent neighbor and slip in into place. Continue fitting in the tongue with the adjacent board until you reach the flooring.

Step Seven: Using a padded block and soft cloth, tap the new board in place. Add finishing nails to the top and bottom of the new Tongue-and-Groove board. Make sure to fill in the nail holes with wood putty and finish for appearance. Once you have replaced the baseboard, you have completed replacing a damaged Tongue-and-Groove board.

•Add to any existing flower bed some colorful seasonal plants.
•Attach stylish new home address numbers.
•Install a new all-weather mailbox.
•At the entrance of your home placing a new welcome mat and a group of potted plants.
•Add inexpensive, trendy lighting fixtures along your driveway or sidewalk.
•Clean your homes siding.

Can’t afford to do all the above at one time? Thank is ok; space the tasks out over a timeline. Give yourself three months, six months, or even a year to add curb appeal to your home. When the mission is complete, you can be satisfied with a job well done – not to mention not only did you add beauty to your home you also added value to your home.

Mortar is available in ready-mixed form and can be found at your local home supply store. When you purchase ready-mix mortar, make sure it is weather resistant type N. Prepare the mortar according to package directions and when you are filling the joints, you may need to use a hawk and trowel. A hawk is a special tool used to carry the wet mortar mix and a trowel is the tool you use to place the mortar mix form the hawk to into the joints. A Jointer is a special tool used to smooth out the mortar in-between each brick. Use a jointer, steel rod, or trowel tool to match the new joints with the old. Below are 6 easy steps to repair damaged mortar on a brick veneer.

1. Use a cold chisel and ball-peen hammer to chisel out the cracked or damaged mortar on the brick veneer to at least 1/2 inch in depth. Clan out the loose mortar with a wire brush.
2. Dampened the open joints. Make sure the joints are not too wet. While using the hawk, place the new mortar mix into the open joints.
3. Use a Jointer on the new mortar once it is “thumbprint hard” to smooth out the vertical joints.
4. Once all vertical joints are finished you may use the Jointer on all horizontal joints.
5. Cut off any excess mortar by sliding a trowel along the brick veneer.
6. Brush off all extra remaining mortar on the bricks of the finished brick veneer with a stiff brush.Keep the new joints damp for 4 day so that the mortar can cure.

CAUTION: While chiseling out old mortar, make sure to protect your eyes with safety goggles.

Diagnosing Paint Problems: Typical causes of exterior paint damages include improper surface preparation for painting, careless painting, use of wrong paint, and structural problems that can trap moisture in the wood.

Blistering: Blisters appear in paint when water or solvent vapor is trapped under the paint. To relieve the blister and find if its a water blister of a solvent blister, cut the blister open. If you find bare wood underneath its a water blister created by moisture escaping from damp wood, if you find paint its a solvent blister usually caused by painting in direct sunlight..

Peeling: Paint often peels and curls away form wood when its was applied over dirty or wet wood. It may also be caused by painting over  loose old paint.

Alligatoring: A pattern of lines and cracks resembling alligator skin is results of the top coat being applied before the bottom coat was dry. Alligatorung may alo accrue when the paints from the bottom and top coats are incompatible.

Wrinkling: Wrinkles in paint are the result of previous careless painting. If paint is applied too thickly, the top surface dries too rapidly and the paint underneath droops down beneath the top dry paint.

Chalking: High quality exterior paint is designed to chalk so that when it rains, dirt form the surface will wash off. But chalking that comes off when you rub up against the surface indicates that the surface was unprimed or finished with poor quality paint.

Preparing the Surface: Wood surfaces must be clean, dry and in excellent condition before you start to repaint. Wash greasy or dirty wood with a mild detergent, and hose off. Let the wood dry before painting. Repair any damaged boards, trim, or shingles. Fix any structural damages that allows water to penetrate and may lead to blistering.

Use a stiff wire brush or paint scraper to remove any dirt and all loose, peeling  or blistering paint. Where paint damage is sever, you should remove the paint down to the bare wood. Feather the edges of any remaining undamaged paint with medium grade sandpaper. Once complete you need to sand again with fine grade sandpaper. If the top coat did not adhere to a previous coat, use a medium grade sand paper to rough up the damaged paint.

If moisture is causing the pint damage, apply a water repellent prime with an oil-base prime coat. Cover with two coats of high quality paint after repairing the surface.

Applying the Finish:  Apply a clear waterproofing sealer to the ends of all boards to prevent water from penetrating the wood. Brush a prime coat on any barer new wood. Where heat and humidity cause wood to deteriorate quickly, you should treat the boards with a wood preservative before sealing.

When the exception of redwood, cedar and southern reed cypress, the wood needs to be painted or stained to protect it from the elements. Use a matching finish with a 2-inch brush for trim and a 4-inch brush for wider surfaces. For larger areas you may want to use a 9-inch roller. Choose a fine nap for smooth surfaces and a think nap for textured surfaces of paint.

Exterior painting is best done in fair. dry weather with temperatures is between 50 degrees and 90 degrees F.  Wait until the morning dew has evaporated and stop painting before evening dampness sets in or the paint may result in blustering. Don’t paint when conditions are windy or dusty, you may end up with debri in your paint.

With routine cleaning of your homes siding, your siding should last for years.

Cleaning your Siding:

• To keep siding in good shape, hose it down and scrub clean with a car-wash brush that attaches to a hose.

• Hose down vinyl panels and sponge them with a mild liquid detergent.

• If brick veneer suffers form efflorescence, scrub the siding one small area at a time. Use a mild solution of muriatic acid (1 part acid to 10 parts water). Make sure to risen the wall well with clear water after scrubbing with the muriatic acid. Do not use this cleaning method on a stone veneer.

• You can retard the growth of mildew by washing the siding with a solution of 1/3 cup detergent and 1 quart household bleach in 3 gallons of water. Brush or sponge the walls then rinse clan.

Caution: When working with chemical cleaners, wear goggles and gloves. Cover your plants with a plastic tarp that are located near the siding you will be cleaning.

After cleaning the siding repair any caulking and paint that was damaged. Stain any areas of the siding that are chipped or peeling.

How to maintain and inspect you homes siding:

Inspecting Your Homes Siding: Look for obvious problems such as warped boards, missing or damaged shingles, holes in stucco, crumbling mortar, cracks in your home’s exterior paint. Don’t ignore problems such as dry rot and termite damage. Dry rot and termite damage is the most serious damages that can accrue and may eventually destroy your house.

Begin with a visual inspection of your home: The following is a list of problems and solutions to guide you through a visual inspection of your homes siding:

Deteriorated caulking: Make a note of any caulking that had dried out and need to be re-caulked. Check the seals around windows and doors and where a deck or fireplaces adjoins to the house. If any cracks in a boarded siding are found, you should caulk them.

Defective Paint: Repaint any defective areas of paint. If necessary, repaint all of the siding.

Cracks: Long, vertical cracks in masonry walls may be a result of settling. To find if the crack is due to settling of your home, place tape over a crack and leave it in place of several months. If the tape twists or splits, this may mean you your foundation is settling and you should consult a professional to determine if there a serious structural problem. If the tap is still in place all that is need to be done is to repair the crack.

Mildew: Combination of heat and humidity may lead to mildew on wood and painted surfaces. To retard mildew see how to clean your homes siding.

Efflorescence: Brick or stone veneer may become covered in efflorescence. Efflorescence is a white powder formed when water-soluble salts are washed to the surface. On an old wall, this may indicate a leak. Cleaning the siding will remove the efflorescence.

Dry Rot and Termite Damage: Dry rot is a fungus that causes wood to crumble. Termites destroy wood by crewing out its interior. Both can work away at wood timbers and siding.

To detect damage by termites, probe the edges of wood siding with a knife to look for soft, spongy spots. Pay special attention to any part of the siding that’s close to or in contact with the ground. Check for visible evidence of termites by looking for any bug that has translucent 1/2 inch-long wings. If you find any mud tubes this also may be a sign of termites.

If you find evidence of dry rot or termites, consult a licensed termite inspector at once.

Ice Dams: These dangerous dams form at the eaves and can cause water form melting snow to back up under the shingles and leak into your home. Ice dams can result form alternate thawing and freezing of snow on the roof due to periods of warm days and cold nights. Or from heat loss through the roof of a poorly insulated and badly ventilated house, causing the snow to melt and then in cold weather to freeze again at the colder eave area.

Air Sealing: Your best defense against ice dams on your roof is to seal off all the places where warm air can leak into the attic from the house. To determine whether moisture problems are generated by interior or exterior sources, check the attic during or just after a storm. If there are no water leaks then check around all light fixtures that penetrate the attic floor and around ducts, plumbing stacks, and attic hatches. If light comes through any joints or you feel a draft, use caulking or weather-stripping to seal the space and create a solid air barrier to the attic floor.

Soffit Vents: These are your second line of defense against attic moisture and work most efficiently when all air leakage problems have been corrected. To prevent ice dams resulting from poor ventilation, install soffit vents and gable vents. When used together, they vent out warm attic air that might  melt snow on the roof and cause ice dams. Electric exhaust fans actually pull warm air from the house and can cause damage and should be avoided.

Insulation: More insulation means a colder, less moist attic. Make sure that your insulation is distributed evenly and that there is full coverage of insulation through out the attic. If any of the insulation is damp, find the leak responsible and repair, then replace the insulation. Insulation should never touch the roof or block vents.

Eave Reinforcement: For extra protection on a sections of the roof where ice dams often form, you can reinforce the eave area by installing a sheet of roll roofing or rubberlike membrane under the shingles. This extends 2 inches inside the wall line.  

Snow Buildup: Snow tends to slide off roof like an avalanche, tearing gutters off, ripping away roofing materials, and smashing plants below. Below are two suggestions for handling a snow buildup problem on your roof.

 De-Icing Tapes: Electrically heated cables installed along roof eaves and in gutters and downspouts, allow for proper drainage of melting snow and ice, and help to prevent ice dams.

These tapes are attached to shingles in a zigzag pattern and are plugged into a waterproof electrical outlet. Once hated, they create drainage channels for water that otherwise would back up behind an ice dam or freeze inside the gutters and downspouts.

Snow Guards: To help hold snow in place, attach a metal snow guard in staggered rows along the roof. Snow guards come in many lengths including  narrow ones for use over doorways.